Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Secretary of State for War if he will give particulars of the number of persons employed on the War Office staff to-day and the corresponding number in 1914, and the total personnel of the Army on each of these dates?
§ Mr. LAWSONThe figures are: Strength of the War Office in 1914–15, 1,590; in 1924–25, 2,463; Army Vote A in 1914–15, 186,400; in 1924–25, 157,500 excluding Indian troops under the Air Ministry. I would point out that the volume of business at present being transacted by the War Office, as measured by the quantity of incoming correspondence, is still considerably in excess of that of 235W 1914. This business depends on numerous factors other than the size of the Army.